Electrically-propelled vehicle



- (NoModeL) F. GARDNER.

' ELEGTRIGALLY PROPELLBD VEHICLE. No.473,871

Patented Apr. 26, 1892.

-. of Fig. 2, on an enlarged scale; and. Figs. 4

--ly-dist-ri-buted load that haste be carried by by an electric motor inwhich these storagesuitableform, is supported in a case carried Tiesanother gear 0', meshing with a"geara UNITED STATES FULTON GARDNER, O

PATENT OFFICE.

F CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

AELECTRICQALLY-"PROPELLED VE'H ces.-

Application filed August 31, 1891.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FULTON GARDNER, a citizen of the United States,residingat Chicago, Cook county, Illinois, have invented a certain newand useful Improvement in Electrically- Propelled Vehicles, of which thefollowing is a specification.

As is well known, electric motors are used to a greater or less extentfor propelling tricycles and other vehicles. Some form ofstorage-battery may be used to supply the electricity necessary tooperate these motors and drive the vehicle. These batteries are usuallyof such size as to render it difficult to place them beneath the seat,and, furthermore, when so placed they constitute a dead and uneventhevehicle.

The object of my invention is to construct a tricycle or other vehicleadapted-to be driven batteries shall be placed at various points aroundone or more of the wheels of the vehicle or in the tire thereof. Bymeans of this construction I distribute the load more uniformly and insuch manner as to offer the least possible resistance to propelling thevehicle, a wheel so constructed being of substantiall uniform weight andoperating somewhat afterthe manner of a fly-wheel; and my inventionconsists in the features and details of construction hereinafterdescribed and claimed. In the drawings, Figure l is a side elevation ofa tricycle with my improvement applied thereto, one of the wheels beingremoved; Fig. 2, a plan view of the motor, commutator, and connections;Fig. 3, a crosssection on line 3 and 5, detail views illustratingmodifications.

The tricycle A may be made in any form desired,and, except ashereinafter described, forms no part of my invention and requires nofurther description; A motor B, of any by the axle A. The armature ofthis motor is shown mounted on a loose sleeve 1) on the rule, thissleeve carrying a gear which meshes with a gear 0 on a shaft 0, and thisshaft caron the axle A. The motor is also provided with the usualcommutator D and brushes 1).

srncmcmnon forming part of Letters Patent No. 473,871, dated Aprusae,1892.

Serial No. 404,279. on model.)

form of the motor is immaterial, so far as the present invention isconcerned, as I make no claim thereto.

Around the circumference of the wheel, and

may be any num- These cellsare connected together, as shown,

and the negative poles are connected by a wire F with a sleeve F,mounted on the axle A,-while the positive poles'are connected by a wireG with a sleeve G, mounted on the same axle. These sleeves beinginsulated from each other and the axle, brushes I are 1 used to convey.the current from these sleeves to the brushes of'themotor.

In Fig. 4 I have shown a modification in the tire providing one metaland the core H tl1 e other, and inrFig. 5 I have shown anothermodification in which theplates I of the bat tery are placed inside ofthe tire. In each of these cases there will be the same connectionswiltgh the sleeves F and G.

y means of this construction I am on to distribute the weight of thestoragga teries more equally and in such a manner as to interfere aslittle as possible with the efficient running of the machine, while atthe same time providing a simple and easily-constructed device.

\Vhilo I have described more or less precise forms, I do not intend tolimit myself thereto since I contemplate changes in form and pro portionand the substitution of equivalent members, as may be desirable or.necessary. For eitample, the manner of connecting the batteries with themotor and the form of battery may be altered, as desirable or necessarywhich the tire contains the storage-battery,-

storage-battery at a suitable point around one vor moroof the wheels ofthe vehicle with It should be understood, however, that the h ich they ato used.

I claim- 1. A wheel for eleetrically propelledevehicles/,-carrying astorage-batterytheeells wh eresubstantially iislzlesci ibed of arearranged at suitable pointsaround such wheel, whereby a more uniformdistribntieni of the load is obtained,-snbstantiallyas de- 2. A wheelfor electrically-propelled vehicles,'carrying a storage battery, thecells of .s'uch battery b6lDg SQ0l11'Bd"t05-th6 wheel at pointsequidistant from 'Ltlie-le'ienter thereof,

3, A wheel for electrioally propelled vehia st'oralgabatteryoontained inthe 15in thereof, substantially described. 7

' pie ergzhe saine,a storage-battery, the 00118 t 4;; The combination ofayehiclaa motor to whereof are secured to one or more of the suchbattery being contained within the tire of the wheel, substantially asdescribed.

6. The combination of a vehicle, a motor to propel the same, astorage-battery contained in the tire of one or more of the wheels ofthe vehicle, and connections between such battery and the motor,substantially as described.

FULTON GARDNER.

Witnesses:

GEORGE S. PAYSON, ANNIE C. COURTENAY.

